We live in a digital age. You don’t need to look any further than your computer screen to see that to be true. Social Media sites, such as Facebook, Youtube and Twitter are all in the top 10 viewed web sites each month. Google has ceased to be a noun and has evolved into a verb: you don’t search for something on the internet. You “google” it. We even have the capability to take these sites on the go and access them on our smart phones.

The digital realm has become an integral part of our lives. Consumers will get online and research your business or product before stepping foot in your store or office. They will compare, look up features, see what you have to offer and make decisions about where their business is going before you get a chance to make an in-person sales pitch. If your business doesn’t have a strong digital presence, you are losing potential clients and money.

One of the quickest and inexpensive ways to build your digital presence is through social media. Your customers are already on there, recommending businesses and products to their friends, simply by “liking” a page, or suggesting a profile.

So how do you make the jump into the social realm with your business? Here are a few tips:

  • Determine why you are making the jump and how you will use social media. Social media is just that: social. It’s a platform for you to interact with clients, provide answers and information and share specials you have going on. If you plan on posting updates but don’t interact with followers, you aren’t taking advantage of social media.
  • Determine which site is best for your business.Each social media site is different, with different marketing techniques and users. Visit the various sites. See what your competitors are using. Figure out what will work for you. Some of the top sites include: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WordPress and Foursquare.
  • Make the jump and sign up for an account (or create a business page). Each site has an option to sign up or, if you’re using Facebook, to create a business page. They provide step by step instructions, fields to input your information and walk you through the necessities of starting a profile.
  • Post your first status update (or Tweet) and start connecting with clients! If you already have a personal account, invite your clients to like or follow your business account and ask them to recommend it to others.

The next step after creating your profile and asking people to follow you is to develop a strategy for your social media page. You need to integrate it into your current marketing strategy – determining what “voice” you will use, what images to upload, what status posts to make, even sprucing your account up to match your branding efforts.

Interested in improving your digital presence?
Creating a social media profile is just the start to increasing your digital exposure. If you’re business is going digital or needs some guidance, feel free to contact me.

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